Meatballs with Blue Cheese Sauce

This recipe is from Sunset's Ground Beef Cookbook. I am including the recipe for the meatballs, although I usually use frozen pre-cooked meatballs (or use your favorite meatball recipe). It is the sauce that makes this dish good! It is great for potlucks or buffets, especially if you keep it warm in a crockpot or chafing dish. Note that yield will depend on size of meatballs-I am assuming 4 to 5 meatballs per serving.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 15-20

Ingredients

• Meatballs

• 2  lbs lean ground beef
• 1⁄2 cup  fine dry breadcrumb
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• 2  eggs
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt (or part garlic salt)

• Sauce

• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 1⁄4 cup flour
• 1 -2  clove garlic, mashed
• 1  cup half-and-half cream
• 1 1⁄2 cups chicken broth
• 1⁄2 cup  crumbled blue cheese (4 ounces)
•  chopped parsley or  chives or  green onion (garnish) (optional)
•  pepper or  paprika (garnish) (optional)

Directions

1. For Meatballs: Preheat oven to 5oo F.
2. Combine meat, crumbs, milk, eggs and salt in a bowl.
3. Mix lightly to blend.
4. Shape into balls about the size of marbles.
5. (Makes about 100 meatballs).
6. Arrange on shallow, rimmed baking pans and bake for 4 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Add meatballs to the sauce, including any pan juices.
8. For Sauce: Heat butter in a pan over medium heat, stir in the flour and mashed garlic and cook until blended and bubbly.
9. Gradually stir in the half& half and chicken broth.
10. Cook, stirring, until thickened.
11. Add the crumbled blue cheese and stir until blended.
12. Add salt if needed.
13. Stir in meatballs.
14. To Serve (if made ahead): Refrigerate the meatballs and sauce until time to serve.
15. Reheat meat and sauce together, covered, over low heat, stirring gently several times (can use microwave).
16. Sprinkle with garnish just before serving.
17. Keep warm in a crockpot or chafing dish.